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We want to know what book groups have been doing these past few months during the pandemic,
so we put together a survey that will help us learn more about your group.
It will take just a couple of minutes to answer, so please click on the image above and take it now.
AMERICAN DIRT author Jeanine Cummins has organized a fundraiser to protect migrants
in the borderlands, and is offering book group chats in exchange for donations to the International Rescue Committee. You can schedule a chat by emailing Jeanine's assistant at [email protected]. Please click on the image above to donate.
Jeanine is matching every donation, up to $100,000, through July 31st.
This week, Kristin Hannah shared an exclusive first look at her new novel, THE FOUR WINDS, which publishes in February 2021. Click on the image above for more info on the book and to read an excerpt.
We have two new "Bookreporter Talks To" interviews to share with you.
First up is Rachel Beanland, who talked to Carol about her debut novel, FLORENCE ADLER SWIMS FOREVER, this month's Barnes & Noble Book Club pick and an upcoming Bets On selection.
Click on the image above for the video and here for the podcast.
Carol had a wonderful discussion with Bruce Holsinger about his 2019 novel,
THE GIFTED SCHOOL, a Bets On pick that is now in paperback
Click on the image above for the video and here for the podcast.
On Tuesday, August 4th at 1pm ET, members of the Simon & Schuster team will host a
Facebook Live Book Club chat to discuss THIS TENDER LAND by William Kent Krueger,
July's pick for S&S's Book Club Favorites. Kent will be joining the conversation as well!
What’s Your Book Group Doing?
We want to know what book groups are doing these days during the pandemic. One of my book clubs has not met at all. The second, which has a number of young moms in it, has met a few times on Zoom, just to catch up socially; they have not had a lot of time for pleasure reading. We are planning to try a socially distanced meeting outside next week to discuss BIG SUMMER by Jennifer Weiner. May the weather cooperate!
Special Request: This had us wondering what other book groups are doing. We see many are meeting virtually or via email. Others are hosting author chats. With this in mind, we put together a survey where we ask what your group is doing. Please take two minutes (seriously, that is all the time it is going to take) and answer it here!
This week, we premiered a new virtual event: “Bookaccino Live: A Lively Talk About Books”. We know that many bookstores and libraries are closed, so we are trying new ways to ensure that books and authors are in front of readers. During this event, I talked about 31 books that were published from late June through August 4th and took a look at five big September titles. I also introduced two members from our staff. We got such wonderful feedback from readers about the program that we have scheduled our next one for Wednesday, August 12th at 2pm ET. Again we will be using Zoom for the program. You can sign up to attend here. We have increased the size of our room, allowing us to have up to 500 attendees, so be sure to reach out to your friends and other book club members with this invite as well.
Speaking of invites, I have a wonderful one for you.
Last week, I joined members of the Yacht Club of Stone Harbor Book Club for a discussion of AMERICAN DIRT, and Jeanine Cummins was their guest. It was a brilliant conversation. One of the group members opened the discussion talking about a passage on page 92 that had moved her. It was so interesting as she had grasped onto one of the core themes of the book --- grief and loss. I loved hearing what had resonated with these readers. Jeanine has organized a fundraiser on behalf of the International Rescue Committee to protect migrants in the borderlands. She will be matching every donation, up to $100,000, until July 31st and is offering book group chats in exchange for donations. Please contact her assistant at [email protected] to schedule these chats.
We have a BIG contest to tell you about for THREE WOMEN, an instant #1 New York Times bestseller and one of the most talked-about books of 2019, which is now in paperback.
For nearly a decade, Lisa Taddeo, an award-winning journalist and longtime contributor to New York magazine and Esquire, embedded herself with three ordinary women to write this deeply immersive account of their erotic lives and longings. Lina, a homemaker in suburban Indiana, is a decade into a passionless marriage when she embarks on an affair that quickly becomes all-consuming and transforms her life. Sloane, a glamorous entrepreneur in the northeast, is married to a man who likes to watch her have sex with other people. Maggie, a high school student in North Dakota, begins an alleged affair with her married English teacher that will have extraordinary consequences for them both --- as well as the community in which they live.
We have 12 copies of THREE WOMEN to give away to five groups, who then will have an opportunity to chat with Lisa via Zoom or phone. Twenty-five additional winners will receive a single copy of the book. To enter, please fill out this form by Wednesday, August 19th at noon ET. You can see the discussion guide here.
Our latest “What’s Your Book Group Reading This Month?” contest title is LADY CLEMENTINE by Marie Benedict, a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick that is newly released in paperback.
In 1909, Clementine steps off a train with her new husband, Winston. An angry woman emerges from the crowd to attack, shoving him in the direction of an oncoming train. Just before he stumbles, Clementine grabs him by his suit jacket. This will not be the last time Clementine Churchill will save her husband. LADY CLEMENTINE is the fascinating story of the ambitious woman beside Winston Churchill, who did not flinch through the sweeping darkness of war, and who would not surrender either to expectations or to enemies.
Three groups will win 12 copies of LADY CLEMENTINE; to enter, please fill out the form on this page by Wednesday, September 9th at noon ET (yes, this contest will be up for TWO months, not one). I had the pleasure of talking to Marie about the book for a “Bookreporter Talks To” interview in March. Click here to watch the video and here to listen to the podcast. Also, be sure to check out the discussion guide, our review on Bookreporter, and my Bets On commentary. And how many of you know how to pronounce Clementine? It's Cle-men-TEEN!
In our previous “What’s Your Book Group Reading This Month?” contest, here are the five books mentioned most frequently as titles that our book groups read: THE GIVER OF STARS by Jojo Moyes, THE DUTCH HOUSE by Ann Patchett, the aforementioned AMERICAN DIRT by Jeanine Cummins, THE BOOK WOMAN OF TROUBLESOME CREEK by Kim Michele Richardson, and THIS TENDER LAND by William Kent Krueger. Scroll further down the newsletter to see the Top 15.
THIS TENDER LAND, a Bets On selection that released in paperback in May, is this month’s pick for Simon & Schuster’s Book Club Favorites. Kent will be joining members of the S&S team for a Facebook Live Book Club chat about the book on Tuesday, August 4th at 1pm ET. We encourage you to join the conversation with your comments about the novel and interact with Kent and your fellow readers. In the meantime, don’t miss the discussion guide, our Bookreporter review, my Bets On commentary, and my “Bookreporter Talks To” interview with Kent (click here to watch the video and here to listen to the podcast).
This month’s “Good Morning America” Book Club pick is SEX AND VANITY by CRAZY RICH ASIANS author Kevin Kwan. This highly anticipated novel is about a young woman who finds herself torn between two men: the WASPy fiancé of her family's dreams and George Zao, the man she is desperately trying to avoid falling in love with. Kwan told “GMA,” "This summer I'm inviting you to travel with me to the sun-drenched island of Capri in this timeless love story. It's a summer escape full of travel, food, fun and fashion. The outrageous characters will make your crazy families seem almost normal." Click here for the guide and here for our review on Bookreporter.
FRIENDS AND STRANGERS is July’s “Read with Jenna” Today Show Book Club pick. This latest novel from J. Courtney Sullivan is about a complicated friendship between two women who are at two very different stages in life. Jenna Bush Hager calls it “a compellingly readable book that feels a little bit like a beach read, but at the same time tackles themes of acceptance of others and also of yourself." Sullivan knows of what she writes: “I’ve been that young woman wondering what the future holds and how she’s going to pay off her student loans, and I’ve been the middle-aged mom doling out advice to babysitters in their 20s while I still am totally unsure how to handle aspects of my own life.” Check out the guide here and our Bookreporter review here.
Rachel Beanland’s debut novel, FLORENCE ADLER SWIMS FOREVER, is this month’s Barnes & Noble Book Club selection and an upcoming Bets On pick. Here we follow the Adler family as they struggle with the sudden loss of their teenage daughter, Florence, and the decision to keep Florence's drowning a secret from their other daughter, Fannie, at the time convalescing at a maternity hospital due to her high-risk pregnancy. The book is based on Rachel's own great-great-aunt, Florence Lowenthal, and the breathtaking decision her family made to hide her death to protect Florence's sister --- Rachel's great-grandmother.
This book has been getting lots of buzz leading up to its publication, so I was thrilled to have the chance to talk to Rachel this week for a “Bookreporter Talks To” interview. She shared more about her personal story, how she chose to write the book from the point of view of seven characters (I guessed which character was her favorite to write!), and the challenge of bringing Florence to life in just a few pages. Click here to watch the video and here to listen to the podcast. We will feature our review in tonight's Bookreporter Weekly Update newsletter, and my Bets On commentary will appear in the July 24th Bookreporter newsletter.
On Tuesday, August 4th at 7pm ET, B&N will host a Facebook Live discussion featuring Rachel in conversation with Ann Hood, whose latest memoir, KITCHEN YARNS: Notes on Life, Love, and Food, released in paperback last year. B&N’s Exclusive Book Club Edition of the book includes a Q&A with Rachel, a recommended reading list and a reading group guide. We plan to feature the guide in our next newsletter.
There are plenty of other virtual events going on, so we want to be sure to get them on your radar. Scroll further down the newsletter for a listing of some that we think will be of interest to you.
Book club favorite Susan Wiggs is back with yet another perfect novel for groups to discuss, THE LOST AND FOUND BOOKSHOP, which is both an Indie Next and a LibraryReads pick for this month. Even the book’s title generates excitement! THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN author Garth Stein calls it “[a] wonderful exploration of the past and the future and, most importantly, of what it means to be present in the here and now. Full of the love of words, the love of family, and the love of falling in love, THE LOST AND FOUND BOOKSHOP is a big-hearted gem of a novel that will satisfy and entertain readers from all walks of life. Lovely!" Click here for the guide and here for our rave review on Bookreporter.
For more July selections, including the complete Indie Next and LibraryReads lists, see our “Favorite Monthly Lists & Picks” feature here.
Last week, I interviewed Bruce Holsinger; we featured the guide for his third novel, THE GIFTED SCHOOL, when it released in hardcover last summer. Now in paperback, this Bets On pick follows a close-knit community of friends and their parents as applications open for entry into a school for gifted students. What happens to those families is at the heart of the story. Bruce and I explored the wider problems that lead to parents pushing their children, students dealing with the overwhelming pressure of proving themselves, and how this stressful approach to school combined with modern technology of phones affects learning. I also talked about what my book group discussed after reading THE GIFTED SCHOOL. Click here to watch the video and here to listen to the podcast.
Also newly released in paperback is THE DEARLY BELOVED by Cara Wall, a Bets On title for which we also featured the guide when it came out last year. This debut novel traces two married couples whose lives become entangled when the husbands become co-pastors at a famed New York city congregation in the 1960s. I had a terrific chat with Cara last December; she shared her thoughts on cultural expression in the '50s and '60s, the controversial topics at the heart of her book, and discussions she has had with book clubs. Click here to watch the video and here to listen to the podcast.
We have some exciting news for all you Kristin Hannah fans out there. This week, exclusively on People.com, Kristin did a cover reveal of her new novel, THE FOUR WINDS, and shared an excerpt from it --- even though it won’t be out until February 2021! The book tells the story of Elsa Martinelli, who must decide to fight for her home as Texas enters the Dust Bowl era, or head west to California. Kristin told People, "Three years ago, I had no idea the Great Depression would become so relevant to today. But history offers us hope. THE FOUR WINDS is a reminder of the strength and durability of the human spirit. We have faced hardships before in America and survived, even thrived." Click here to read more about the book and take a sneak peek at it. I already am looking forward to getting my hands on an advance copy!
Summer has not been quiet here! Even in the middle of a pandemic, we have a lot going on. I am looking forward to seeing the survey results. And we have a few big ideas for book groups brewing for fall!
Carol Fitzgerald ([email protected])
P.S. For those of you who are doing online shopping, if you use the store links below, ReadingGroupGuides.com gets a small affiliate fee on your purchases. We would appreciate your considering this!
New Special Contest: Enter to Win 12 Paperback Copies of
THREE WOMEN for Your Group
and the Opportunity to Chat with Author Lisa Taddeo
Based on nearly a decade of reporting, THREE WOMEN is a riveting true story about the sex lives of three real American women. We are giving five groups the chance to win 12 copies of this instant New York Times bestseller --- which is now available in paperback --- plus the opportunity to chat with its author, Lisa Taddeo. Twenty-five additional readers will be awarded a copy of the book. To enter, please fill out this form by Wednesday, August 19th at noon ET.
THREE WOMEN by Lisa Taddeo (Women's Studies/Social Science)
Hailed as “a dazzling achievement” (Los Angeles Times) and “riveting page-turner that explores desire, heartbreak and infatuation in all its messy, complicated nuance” (The Washington Post), Lisa Taddeo’s THREE WOMEN has captivated readers, booksellers and critics --- and topped bestseller lists --- worldwide.
Declared “the best book of the year” by Elizabeth Gilbert and “a breathtaking and important book” by Cheryl Strayed, THREE WOMEN has won praise everywhere from Columbia Journalism Review (“deeply reported, elegantly written, almost uncomfortably intimate”) to Refinery29 (“the hype for THREE WOMEN is real; in fact, it’s insufficient”), from Esquire (“a heartbreaking, gripping, astonishing masterpiece”) to Time (“THREE WOMEN is a battle cry… For anyone who thinks they know what women want, this book is an alarm, and its volume is turned all the way up.”) In the words of The New Statesman, “This is an unusual, startling, and gripping debut. It feels to me like the kind of bold, timely, once-in-a-generation book that every house should have a copy of, and probably will before too long.”
In suburban Indiana we meet Lina, the homemaker and mother of two whose marriage, after a decade, has lost its passion. Starved for affection, Lina battles daily panic attacks and, after reconnecting with an old flame through social media, embarks on an affair that quickly becomes all-consuming. In North Dakota we meet Maggie, the 17-year-old high school student who allegedly has a clandestine physical relationship with her handsome, married English teacher; the ensuing criminal trial will turn their quiet community upside down. Finally, in the northeast we meet Sloane, the successful, refined restaurant owner whose husband enjoys watching her have sex with other men and women.
- Click here for the discussion guide.
- Click here to watch the book trailer.
- Click here to meet the three individuals who brought the book to life.
- Click here to watch Lisa Taddeo and Katie Couric talk about the book.
Click here to enter the contest.
“What’s Your Book Group Reading This Month?” Contest: Enter to Win 12 Paperback Copies of
LADY CLEMENTINE by Marie Benedict for Your Group
Each month, we ask book groups to share the titles they are reading that month and rate them. From all entries, three winners will be selected, and each will win 12 copies of that month’s prize book for their group. Note: To be eligible to win, let us know the title of the book that YOUR book group is CURRENTLY reading, NOT the title we are giving away.
Our latest prize book is LADY CLEMENTINE by Marie Benedict, which is now available in paperback. This Bookreporter.com Bets On pick is an incredible novel that focuses on one of the people who had the most influence during World War I and World War II: Clementine Churchill. To enter, please fill out the form on this page by Wednesday, September 9th at noon ET.
LADY CLEMENTINE by Marie Benedict (Historical Fiction)
In 1909, Clementine steps off a train with her new husband, Winston. An angry woman emerges from the crowd to attack, shoving him in the direction of an oncoming train. Just before he stumbles, Clementine grabs him by his suit jacket. This will not be the last time Clementine Churchill will save her husband.
LADY CLEMENTINE is the ferocious story of the ambitious woman beside Winston Churchill, the story of a partner who did not flinch through the sweeping darkness of war, and who would not surrender either to expectations or to enemies.
- Click here for the discussion guide.
- Click here to read our review on Bookreporter.com.
- Click here to read Carol's Bookreporter.com Bets On commentary.
- Click here to watch Carol's "Bookreporter Talks To" interview with Marie Benedict.
- Click here to listen to a podcast of the interview.
Click here to enter the contest.
New Guide: SEX AND VANITY by Kevin Kwan
July’s “Good Morning America” Book Club Pick
SEX AND VANITY by Kevin Kwan (Fiction)
On her very first morning on the jewel-like island of Capri, Lucie Churchill sets eyes on George Zao and instantly can't stand him. She can't stand it when he gallantly offers to trade hotel rooms with her so that she can have a view of the Tyrrhenian Sea, she can't stand that he knows more about Casa Malaparte than she does, and she really can't stand it when he kisses her in the darkness of the ancient ruins of a Roman villa and they are caught by her snobbish, disapproving cousin Charlotte. "Your mother is Chinese so it's no surprise you'd be attracted to someone like him," Charlotte teases.
The daughter of an American-born Chinese mother and a blue-blooded New York father, Lucie has always sublimated the Asian side of herself in favor of the white side, and she adamantly denies having feelings for George. But several years later, when George unexpectedly appears in East Hampton, where Lucie is weekending with her new fiancé, Lucie finds herself drawn to George again. Soon, Lucie is spinning a web of deceit that involves her family, her fiancé, the co-op board of her Fifth Avenue apartment building, and ultimately herself as she tries mightily to deny George entry into her world --- and her heart.
- Click here to read our review on Bookreporter.com.
- Click here to see why the book is July's "Good Morning America" Book Club pick.
Click here for the discussion guide.
New Guide: FRIENDS AND STRANGERS
by J. Courtney Sullivan
July’s “Read with Jenna” Today Show Book Club Pick
FRIENDS AND STRANGERS by J. Courtney Sullivan (Fiction)
Elisabeth, an accomplished journalist and new mother, is struggling to adjust to life in a small town after nearly 20 years in New York City. Alone in the house with her infant son all day (and awake with him much of the night), she feels uneasy, adrift. She neglects her work, losing untold hours to her Brooklyn moms' Facebook group, her "influencer" sister's Instagram feed and text messages with the best friend she never sees anymore.
Enter Sam, a senior at the local women's college, whom Elisabeth hires to babysit. Sam is struggling to decide between the path she's always planned on and a romantic entanglement that threatens her ambition. She's worried about student loan debt and what the future holds. In short order, they grow close. But when Sam finds an unlikely kindred spirit in Elisabeth's father-in-law, the true differences between the women's lives become starkly revealed and a betrayal has devastating consequences.
- Click here to read our review on Bookreporter.com.
- Click here to see why the book is July's "Read with Jenna" Today Show Book Club pick.
Click here for the discussion guide.
New Guide: THE LOST AND FOUND BOOKSHOP
by Susan Wiggs
An Indie Next and LibraryReads Pick for July
THE LOST AND FOUND BOOKSHOP by Susan Wiggs (Fiction)
Somewhere in the vast Library of the Universe, as Natalie thought of it, there was a book that embodied exactly the things she was worrying about.
In the wake of a shocking tragedy, Natalie Harper inherits her mother’s charming but financially strapped bookshop in San Francisco. She also becomes caretaker for her ailing grandfather Andrew, her only living relative --- not counting her scoundrel father.
But the gruff, deeply kind Andrew has begun displaying signs of decline. Natalie thinks it’s best to move him to an assisted living facility to ensure the care he needs. To pay for it, she plans to close the bookstore and sell the derelict but valuable building on historic Perdita Street, which is in need of constant fixing. There’s only one problem --- Grandpa Andrew owns the building and refuses to sell. Natalie adores her grandfather; she’ll do whatever it takes to make his final years happy. Besides, she loves the store, and its books provide welcome solace for her overwhelming grief.
After she moves into the small studio apartment above the shop, Natalie carries out her grandfather’s request and hires contractor Peach Gallagher to do the necessary and ongoing repairs. His young daughter, Dorothy, also becomes a regular at the store, and she and Natalie begin reading together while Peach works.
To Natalie’s surprise, her sorrow begins to dissipate as her life becomes an unexpected journey of new connections, discoveries and revelations --- from unearthing artifacts hidden in the bookshop’s walls, to discovering the truth about her family, her future and her own heart.
- Click here to read our review on Bookreporter.com.
Click here for the discussion guide.
Now Available:
FLORENCE ADLER SWIMS FOREVER by Rachel Beanland July’s Barnes & Noble Book Club Pick
and an Upcoming Bookreporter.com Bets On Selection
FLORENCE ADLER SWIMS FOREVER by Rachel Beanland (Historical Fiction)
Atlantic City, 1934. Every summer, Esther and Joseph Adler rent their house out to vacationers escaping to “America’s Playground” and move into the small apartment above their bakery. Despite the cramped quarters, this is the apartment where they raised their two daughters, Fannie and Florence, and it always feels like home.
Now Florence has returned from college, determined to spend the summer training to swim the English Channel, and Fannie, pregnant again after recently losing a baby, is on bed rest for the duration of her pregnancy. After Joseph insists they take in a mysterious young woman whom he recently helped emigrate from Nazi Germany, the apartment is bursting at the seams.
Esther only wants to keep her daughters close and safe, but some matters are beyond her control: there’s Fannie’s risky pregnancy --- not to mention her always-scheming husband, Isaac --- and the fact that the handsome heir of a hotel notorious for its anti-Semitic policies seems to be in love with Florence.
When tragedy strikes, Esther makes the shocking decision to hide the truth --- at least until Fannie’s baby is born --- and pulls the family into an elaborate web of secret-keeping and lies, bringing long-buried tensions to the surface that reveal how quickly the act of protecting those we love can turn into betrayal.
- Click here to watch Carol's "Bookreporter Talks To" interview with Rachel Beanland.
- Click here to listen to a podcast of the interview.
Click here for details on Barnes & Noble's
virtual Book Club event on August 4th at 7pm ET.
Don't miss Carol's Bookreporter.com Bets On commentary in the
July 24th Bookreporter Weekly Update newsletter.
Sign Up to Attend "Bookaccino Live: A Lively Talk About Books" on Wednesday, August 12th at 2pm ET
On Wednesday, July 15th, we hosted our first LIVE virtual event on Zoom: “Bookaccino Live: A Lively Talk About Books”. With so many bookstores and libraries still closed, we are trying new ways to ensure that books and authors are in front of readers. During this inaugural event, Carol talked about 31 books that released from late June through August 4th and took a sneak peek at five big September titles.
We received such wonderful feedback from readers that we have scheduled our next session for Wednesday, August 12th at 2pm ET. Carol will present titles releasing in late August and September, along with a few from October, that she is especially excited about. You can sign up to attend here. We have increased the size of our room, allowing us to have up to 500 attendees, so feel free to invite your friends and other book club members.
Click here to register for our "Bookaccino Live" event
on August 12th at 2pm ET.
Favorite Monthly Lists & Picks for July
Each month, we share top book picks from Indie Next and LibraryReads, as well as the Target Book Club title and Pennie's Pick for Costco. We also feature a number of other prominent picks, including Oprah’s Book Club, the Barnes & Noble Book Club, the Reese Witherspoon x Hello Sunshine Book Club, Jenna Bush Hager's "Read with Jenna" Today Show Book Club, the "Good Morning America" Book Club, the PBS NewsHour-New York Times “Now Read This” Book Club, and Simon & Schuster’s Book Club Favorites.
Below is a preview of July's "Favorite Monthly Lists & Picks." For the complete Indie Next and LibraryReads lists, as well as additional links pertaining to this month's selections, please click here.
Indie Next
#1 Pick: MEXICAN GOTHIC by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
TAKE A HINT, DANI BROWN by Talia Hibbert
THE GIRL FROM WIDOW HILLS by Megan Miranda
THE SAFE PLACE by Anna Downes
THE ONLY GOOD INDIANS by Stephen Graham Jones
LibraryReads
LibraryReads Top Pick: PEACE TALKS: A Novel of the Dresden Files by Jim Butcher
BOYFRIEND MATERIAL by Alexis Hall
CROOKED HALLELUJAH by Kelli Jo Ford
THE HEIR AFFAIR by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan
THE LOST AND FOUND BOOKSHOP by Susan Wiggs
Target Book Club
ONE TO WATCH by Kate Stayman-London
Pennie's Pick (Costco)
THE WEDDING THIEF by Mary Simses
Barnes & Noble Book Club
FLORENCE ADLER SWIMS FOREVER by Rachel Beanland
Reese Witherspoon x Hello Sunshine Book Club
I'M STILL HERE: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness by Austin Channing Brown and THE GUEST LIST by Lucy Foley
Jenna Bush Hager's "Read with Jenna" Today Show Book Club
FRIENDS AND STRANGERS by J. Courtney Sullivan
"Good Morning America" Book Club
SEX AND VANITY by Kevin Kwan
PBS NewsHour-New York Times “Now Read This” Book Club
CITIZEN: An American Lyric, by Claudia Rankine
Simon & Schuster's Book Club Favorites
THIS TENDER LAND by William Kent Krueger
Our Most Popular Book Group Selections for June’s
"What's Your Book Group Reading This Month?" Contest
New July Releases of Interest to Book Groups
Below are a number of books releasing in July for the first time (which we aren't currently featuring on the site) that we think will be of interest to book groups.
BEYOND THE MASK: How My Tragedy Sparked an Incredible Life: Lessons I Might Never Have Learned by Brian P. Walsh (Autobiography)
As a 17-year-old volunteer firefighter, Brian Walsh suffered third-degree burns to his face. But he chose not to let that tragedy destroy him, and instead used it to create a magnificent life --- both personally and professionally.
THE BOOK OF LOST NAMES by Kristin Harmel (Historical Fiction)
Inspired by an astonishing true story from World War II, a young woman with a talent for forgery helps hundreds of Jewish children flee the Nazis in this unforgettable historical novel from the international bestselling author of THE WINEMAKER’S WIFE.
THE COLOR OF AIR by Gail Tsukiyama (Fiction)
From the New York Times bestselling author of WOMEN OF THE SILK and THE SAMURAI'S GARDEN comes a gorgeous and evocative historical novel about a Japanese-American family set against the backdrop of Hawaii's sugar plantations.
CROOKED HALLELUJAH by Kelli Jo Ford (Fiction)
CROOKED HALLELUJAH tells the stories of Justine --- a mixed-blood Cherokee woman --- and her daughter, Reney, as they move from Eastern Oklahoma’s Indian Country in the hopes of starting a new, more stable life in Texas amid the oil bust of the 1980s.
THE END OF HER by Shari Lapena (Psychological Thriller)
Stephanie and Patrick are adjusting to life with their colicky twin girls. The babies are a handful, but even as Stephanie struggles with the disorientation of sleep deprivation, there's one thing she's sure of: she has all she ever wanted. Then Erica, a woman from Patrick's past, appears and makes a disturbing accusation.
FILTHY BEASTS: A Memoir by Kirkland Hamill (Memoir)
RUNNING WITH SCISSORS meets Grey Gardens in this gripping, true riches-to-rags tale of a wealthy family who lost it all and the unforgettable journey of a man coming to terms with his family’s deep flaws and his own long-buried truths.
THE GEOMETRY OF HOLDING HANDS: An Isabel Dalhousie Novel by Alexander McCall Smith (Mystery)
One of Alexander McCall Smith's most beloved characters is back --- and once again she will have to call upon her powers of deduction and her unflappable moral code to unravel a new philosophical mystery.
HIEROGLYPHICS by Jill McCorkle (Fiction)
In her deeply layered and masterful novel, Jill McCorkle deconstructs and reconstructs what it means to be a father or a mother, and what it means to be a child piecing together the world around us, a child learning to make sense of the hieroglyphics of history and memory.
HIS & HERS by Alice Feeney (Psychological Thriller)
When a woman is murdered in Blackdown, a quintessentially British village, newsreader Anna Andrews is reluctant to cover the case. Detective Jack Harper is suspicious of her involvement, until he becomes a suspect in his own murder investigation. Someone isn’t telling the truth, and some secrets are worth killing to keep.
PLAYING NICE by JP Delaney (Psychological Thriller)
What if you found out that your family isn’t yours at all? How far would you go to protect them? PLAYING NICE is a gripping new psychological thriller from the bestselling author of THE GIRL BEFORE.
A WALK ALONG THE BEACH by Debbie Macomber (Fiction)
Two sisters must learn from each other’s strengths and trust in the redeeming power of love in a touching new novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber.
WHAT YOU WISH FOR by Katherine Center (Fiction)
From the New York Times bestselling author of HOW TO WALK AWAY comes a stunning new novel full of heart and hope.
July’s New in Paperback Roundups on Bookreporter.com
July's roundup of New in Paperback titles on Bookreporter.com includes Chandler Baker's adult debut, WHISPER NETWORK, an instant New York Times bestseller that, according to Reese Witherspoon and her book club, is "a workplace murder mystery that happens in today’s #MeToo era. It’s honest, timely and completely thrilling --- I was so surprised to find out who the murderer was!"; THE DEARLY BELOVED by Cara Wall, a gorgeous, wise and provocative novel that traces two married couples whose lives become entangled when the husbands become co-pastors at a famed New York city congregation in the 1960s; Richard Russo's first stand-alone novel in a decade, CHANCES ARE..., a gripping story about the abiding yet complex power of friendship; THINGS YOU SAVE IN A FIRE, Katherine Center's stunning novel about courage, hope and learning to love against all odds; and COVENTRY, a selection of Rachel Cusk's nonfiction writings that both offers new insights on the themes at the heart of her fiction and forges a startling critical voice on some of our most urgent personal, social and artistic questions.
Find out what's New in Paperback for the weeks of
July 6th, July 13th, July 20th and July 27th.
Bookreporter.com’s 16th Annual
Summer Reading Contests and Feature
Summer is here! At Bookreporter.com, this means it's time for us to share some great summer book picks with our Summer Reading Contests and Feature. We are hosting a series of 24-hour contests for these titles on select days through the end of August, so you will have to check the site each day to see the featured prize book and enter to win. We also are sending a special newsletter to announce the day's title, which you can sign up for here.
This year’s prize books include:
Click here to read all the contest details and learn more about our prize books.
From left to right: J. Courtney Sullivan, Katherine Center, Fiona Davis
Upcoming Virtual Book and Author Events
As so many book and author events are happening online these days, we are highlighting a number of them that you may be interested in attending. Click on the links below for more info and to register.
Sunday, July 19th at 1pm ET: Writer's Block Bookstore Virtual Event: Rachel Beanland will be in conversation with author Fiona Davis as she discusses her debut novel, FLORENCE ADLER SWIMS FOREVER.
Sunday, July 19th at 5pm ET: We Are Family: A Virtual Adventure by the Book: Adventures by the Book is pleased to partner once again with the Carlsbad City Library for a second entertaining Summer Reading Virtual Adventure featuring four New York Times bestselling authors, all of whom have new books that are just ripe for discovery. Join Aimee Liu, Megan Miranda, Kristin Rockaway and Amy Stanley for this virtual event, and you’ll find some great books to add to your reading queue.
Monday, July 20th at 7pm ET: RWR Presents: Unputdownable Novels: What's better than an unputdownable novel in the summer? THREE unputdownable novels, that's what! Join Megan Miranda, Erica Katz, Samantha Downing and Robin Kall of "Reading With Robin" for a fast-paced chat about plot, characters and how they keep us turning those pages.
Tuesday, July 21st at 7pm ET: A Virtual Event Courtesy of Print: A Bookstore: J. Courtney Sullivan will discuss her new book, FRIENDS AND STRANGERS, with Lily King, author of WRITERS & LOVERS.
Tuesday, July 28th at 6pm ET: Hickory Public Library Virtual Event: Join Katherine Center via Zoom as she talks about her newest novel, WHAT YOU WISH FOR.
Tuesday, August 4th at 1pm ET: Simon & Schuster's Book Club Favorites Online Event: William Kent Krueger will join members of the Simon & Schuster team for a Facebook Live Book Club chat about THIS TENDER LAND, which is now in paperback and is this month's pick for S&S's Book Club Favorites.
Tuesday, August 4th at 7pm ET: Barnes & Noble Virtual Book Club Event: Barnes & Noble will host a Facebook Live discussion for their July book club pick, FLORENCE ADLER SWIMS FOREVER, featuring author Rachel Beanland and Ann Hood, whose most recent book is KITCHEN YARNS: Notes on Life, Love, and Food.
Saturday, August 8th at 6pm ET: The Poisoned Pen Bookstore Virtual Event: Fiona Davis will discuss her latest novel, THE LIONS OF FIFTH AVENUE, with Barbara Peters and author Kate Quinn.
Tuesday, August 11th at 6pm ET: BookTowne Virtual Event: BookTowne presents a virtual event with international bestselling author Kristin Harmel, who will discuss her new novel, THE BOOK OF LOST NAMES.
Wednesday, August 12th at 2pm ET: The Book Report Network Presents: Bookaccino Live – A Lively Talk About Books: Carol Fitzgerald will talk about books releasing in late August and September, along with a few from October, that she is especially excited about.
"Bookreporter Talks To" Videos & Podcasts
“Bookreporter Talks To” is a video and podcast series that delivers a long-form, in-depth author interview every week. For years, Carol has moderated book festivals and author events around the country. But we know that readers often do not live where they can attend an author event. Our goal is to bring these author interviews to readers, wherever they may be. Watch on video, or listen as a podcast. (The podcasts include audio excerpts.)
Here are our latest interviews:
Other authors we've interviewed include:
Click here for a complete list of our
"Bookreporter Talks To" videos and podcasts.
Enter Our Ongoing Bookreporter.com Contests:
"Word of Mouth" and "Sounding Off on Audio"
Word of Mouth Contest:
Tell Us What You're Reading --- and You Can Win Two Books!
Tell us about the books you’ve finished reading with your comments and a rating of 1 to 5 stars. During the contest period from July 17th to July 31st at noon ET, three lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of THE ANSWER IS...: Reflections on My Life by Alex Trebek and FLORENCE ADLER SWIMS FOREVER by Rachel Beanland.
To make sure other readers will be able to find the books you write about, please include the full title and correct author names (your entry must include these to be eligible to win). For rules and guidelines, click here.
Click here to enter the contest.
Please note: A new Word of Mouth contest will be up
on Friday, July 31st at noon ET.
Sounding Off on Audio Contest:
Tell Us What You're Listening to --- and You Can Win Two Audiobooks!
Tell us about the audiobooks you’ve finished listening to with your comments and a rating of 1 to 5 stars for both the performance and the content. During the contest period from July 1st to August 3rd at noon ET, one lucky reader will be randomly chosen to win the audio versions of Brad Thor's NEAR DARK, read by Armand Schultz, and Kristin Harmel's THE BOOK OF LOST NAMES, read by Madeleine Maby.
To make sure other readers will be able to find the audiobook, please include the full title and correct author names (your entry must include these to be eligible to win). For complete rules and guidelines, click here.
Click here to enter the contest.
Please note: A new Sounding Off on Audio contest will be up
on Monday, August 3rd at noon ET.
We currently are featuring the following guides on ReadingGroupGuides.com:
FRIENDS AND STRANGERS by J. Courtney Sullivan (Fiction)
FRIENDS AND STRANGERS is an insightful, hilarious and compulsively readable novel about a complicated friendship between two women who are at two very different stages in life.
THE LAST FLIGHT by Julie Clark (Psychological Thriller)
For fans of Lisa Jewell and Liv Constantine, THE LAST FLIGHT is the story of two women --- both alone, both scared --- and one agonizing decision that will change the trajectory of both of their lives.
THE LAST TRAIN TO KEY WEST by Chanel Cleeton (Historical Fiction)
In 1935, three women are forever changed when one of the most powerful hurricanes in history barrels toward the Florida Keys.
THE LOST AND FOUND BOOKSHOP by Susan Wiggs (Fiction)
In this thought-provoking, wise and emotionally rich novel, New York Times bestselling author Susan Wiggs explores the meaning of happiness, trust and faith in oneself as she asks the question, "If you had to start over, what would you do and who would you be?"
THE NICKEL BOYS by Colson Whitehead (Historical Fiction)
In this bravura follow-up to the Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award-winning #1 New York Times bestseller THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD, Colson Whitehead brilliantly dramatizes another strand of American history through the story of two boys sentenced to a hellish reform school in Jim Crow-era Florida.
THE SECOND HOME by Christina Clancy (Fiction)
Tender and compassionate, incisive and heartbreaking, Christina Clancy's THE SECOND HOME is the story of a family you'll quickly fall in love with and won't soon forget.
SEX AND VANITY by Kevin Kwan (Fiction)
The iconic author of the bestselling phenomenon CRAZY RICH ASIANS returns with the glittering tale of a young woman who finds herself torn between two men: the WASPy fiancé of her family's dreams and George Zao, the man she is desperately trying to avoid falling in love with.
THREE WOMEN by Lisa Taddeo (Women's Studies/Social Science)
This instant #1 New York Times bestseller is a riveting true story about the sex lives of three real American women, based on nearly a decade of reporting.
WHAT'S LEFT OF ME IS YOURS by Stephanie Scott (Fiction)
A gripping debut set in modern-day Tokyo and inspired by a true crime, for readers of EVERYTHING I NEVER TOLD YOU and THE PERFECT NANNY, WHAT'S LEFT OF ME IS YOURS charts a young woman's search for the truth about her mother's life --- and her murder.
Please note that these titles, for which we already had the guides when they appeared in hardcover, are now available in paperback:
CAPE MAY by Chip Cheek (Historical Fiction)
CAPE MAY is a raw, provocative portrayal of a young 1950s couple on the cusp of a sexual awakening, and the temptations that upturn their honeymoon and reshape their marriage.
THE DEARLY BELOVED by Cara Wall (Fiction)
This “moving portrait of love and friendship set against a backdrop of social change” (The New York Times Book Review, Editor’s Choice) traces two married couples whose lives become entangled when the husbands become co-pastors at a famed New York City congregation in the 1960s.
LADY CLEMENTINE by Marie Benedict (Historical Fiction)
From Marie Benedict, the New York Times bestselling author of THE ONLY WOMAN IN THE ROOM, comes an incredible novel that focuses on one of the people who had the most influence during World War I and World War II: Clementine Churchill.
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